Part 3: Voter Trust, the Responsibility of Elected Officials
The effectiveness of elected representatives is not limited to listening to and acknowledging voters' opinions, but is measured by how they handle and resolve real-world issues. Voters' trust is only strengthened when they see their representatives truly acting in the best interests of the people, bringing pressing issues from daily life to the parliamentary floor, and transforming promises into concrete, practical policies.
PVTS GroupNovember 19, 2024
The effectiveness of elected representatives is not limited to listening to and acknowledging voters' opinions, but is measured by how they handle and resolve real-world issues. Voters' trust is only strengthened when they see their representatives truly acting in the best interests of the people, bringing pressing issues from daily life to the parliamentary floor, and transforming promises into concrete, practical policies.
Bao Nam commune, in the mountainous border district of Ky Son, Nghe An province, is one of the key and complex areas for human trafficking. Traffickers often approach pregnant women, luring them into selling their babies with promises of a large sum of money to support their lives. If the women agree, the traffickers arrange transportation and take them to northern provinces for illegal emigration. Even more dangerously, many women who were victims of human trafficking return to their communities and then entice and deceive other women into selling their babies. From 2019 to the present, the Bao Nam commune police force, in coordination with other forces at all levels, has cracked 10 human trafficking cases, arrested 18 suspects, and successfully rescued 12 victims…
Faced with this situation, the Party Committee, the government, and the entire political system of the commune have coordinated with the commune police to strengthen the detection, reporting, combating, and handling of human trafficking cases in the area; focusing on propaganda, dissemination, and raising awareness and knowledge among all segments of the population through various forms, such as visual and direct propaganda, banners, loudspeakers, leaflets, and billboards; especially creating propaganda materials in the local languages and videos of typical cases to disseminate to all residential areas.
Mr. Lo Van Muoi, Secretary of the Party Committee of Bao Nam commune, said: The commune has established a Steering Committee for ensuring security and order, chaired by the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune, and including the Head of the Police, Military, Fatherland Front, and other political and social organizations of the commune; in each village, a team for ensuring security and order has been established, including the prevention and combating of human trafficking. One of the tasks and activities of the commune-level steering committee is to coordinate with the teams in the villages to compile lists and monitor women who return to the locality after working abroad, especially those who work far away without a specific address or who have a ostentatious lifestyle in terms of money and material possessions, in order to "lure" and connect with underage women for trafficking transactions. This includes compiling lists of underage women and pregnant women to both raise awareness and "monitor" them, preventing them from being lured by criminals. Party committees, government authorities, and the political system also pay attention to creating conditions and providing support in terms of knowledge and capital to help women find jobs and stable incomes in the area, such as supporting models of cattle farming and ginger cultivation...
Faced with the sophistication and complexity of human trafficking crimes, the National Assembly delegates from Nghe An province went directly to Bao Nam commune to work, survey, and meet with people to understand their thoughts and aspirations; from there, they brought the thoughts and aspirations of voters and the shortcomings from real life to improve policies.
Based on the above situation, at the 8th Session of the 15th National Assembly, Ms. Thai Thi An Chung - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Deputy Head of the Standing Delegation of National Assembly Deputies of Nghe An Province - pointed out the legal gap that has led to the long-standing problem of trafficking in fetuses being difficult to handle. “Trafficking in fetuses is a new tactic of human trafficking criminals. Criminals often target pregnant women from ethnic minorities in remote areas, luring them abroad to give birth and then selling the child for money or in exchange for other goods. This agreement is essentially a prerequisite for the trafficking of children. However, prosecuting the perpetrators is difficult because the Criminal Code does not yet have provisions on this,” Representative Thai Thi An Chung stated. Therefore, in order to create a legal basis for the fight against crime and the protection of children's rights, adding a provision strictly prohibiting the act of "agreeing to buy and sell people while still in the womb" in the draft Law on Prevention and Combat of Human Trafficking (amended) is extremely necessary. It meets the requirements of practice, makes an important contribution to the fight against the crime of trafficking children while they are still in the womb, and is consistent with the provisions of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.
For example, regarding the implementation of social insurance policies in recent years, Nghe An province has faced significant challenges as policy changes have greatly affected the development of participation. Many areas that were classified as Category II and III communes, and particularly difficult villages in ethnic minority and mountainous regions during the 2016-2020 period are no longer on this list according to Decision No. 861/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister and Decision No. 433/QD-UBDT of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs, and therefore no longer receive health insurance support. Mr. Chu Duc Thai, Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee of the Provincial People's Council, said that surveys show that economic difficulties have made some people reluctant to participate in health insurance, and many individuals have given up after the support was discontinued.
Based on that, in order to increase the health insurance coverage rate, the Culture and Social Affairs Committee of the Provincial People's Council proposed, and the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council agreed, to soon issue a resolution on supporting social insurance contributions for voluntary social insurance participants and health insurance for ethnic minorities living in communes in areas II and III, and particularly difficult villages in ethnic minority and mountainous regions during the 2016-2020 period, provided that these communes are no longer on the list of communes in areas II and III, and particularly difficult villages in ethnic minority and mountainous regions during the 2021-2025 period.
In October 2023, the Standing Committee of the Nghe An Provincial People's Council conducted a thematic supervision on "The resolution of voters' petitions from the beginning of the 2021-2026 term to the present." This showed that many petitions had been thoroughly addressed by the Provincial People's Committee, departments, and localities, meeting the aspirations of voters; and that the Provincial People's Council had issued many mechanisms and policies to help resolve voters' petitions, such as: Resolution No. 18/2021/NQ-HĐND dated December 9, 2021, promulgating regulations on some policies to support agricultural and rural development in Nghe An province for the period 2022-2025; Resolution No. 31/2021/NQ-HĐND dated December 9, 2021, stipulating the standard level of social assistance, the level of social assistance, and support policies for some social protection beneficiaries in Nghe An province. Resolution No. 20/2022/NQ-HĐND dated November 12, 2022, on some policies to support the development of grassroots cultural life in Nghe An province; Resolution No. 01/2023/NQ-HĐND dated July 7, 2023, on some policies to support fishing vessels operating in offshore areas in Nghe An province; Resolution No. 02/2023/NQ-HĐND dated July 7, 2023, stipulating policies to support forest owners in forest management and protection in Nghe An province; Resolution No. 05/2023/NQ-HĐND stipulating policies to support officials, civil servants, and public employees working at the One-Stop Service Centers at all levels in Nghe An province; Resolution No. 09/2023/NQ-HĐND dated July 7, 2023, stipulates the policy on supporting investment in swimming pools and organizing swimming lessons for children in Nghe An province...
Efforts to integrate practical solutions into policy have affirmed the pioneering role of elected representatives in listening to, understanding, and reflecting the thoughts and aspirations of voters to the parliamentary arena. Their close attention has ignited a "flame" of determination, driving all levels and sectors to develop practical and timely policies. This is not only proof of the representatives' responsibility to their constituents, but also a driving force for truly humane policies to be implemented, contributing to changing the face of disadvantaged areas and rekindling hope for the people.
Hung Trung commune (Hung Nguyen district), the birthplace of the patriotic reformer Nguyen Truong To, has over 11,000 inhabitants, of which 70% are Catholic. The school named after him has 1,000 to 1,100 students each academic year. Although the local authorities and the school annually improve the facilities for teaching and learning, due to limited funding, the school still lacks 6 classrooms for general subjects and 7 classrooms for specialized subjects and functions. During a meeting with National Assembly representatives before the 8th session of the 15th National Assembly, Mr. Dinh Bat Binh, Chairman of the Parents' Association, shared his concerns and aspirations with the delegates.
Sharing his concerns with voters, the Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Nghe An province, Thai Thanh Quy, expressed his worry that this situation has existed for a long time without being resolved, affecting the studies of more than 1,000 students. Based on the agreement with the Finance Department at the meeting, he proposed that Hung Nguyen district complete the procedures to begin construction in 2025 using provincial budget funds. "We cannot allow our children to lack classrooms," the Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Nghe An replied to high applause from the voters.
In Nghi Loc district, a pressing issue raised by voters at numerous voter outreach forums is the shortage of water for agricultural production. This is particularly true in downstream communes such as Nghi Hoa, Nghi Hung, Nghi Yen, Nghi Tien, Nghi Thiet, Nghi Quang, and Nghi Thuan…; some areas only cultivate the spring crop, while the summer-autumn crop is left fallow or production is precarious and ineffective, impacting the lives of the people. There are even times when the water level in the Cam River drops low, and seawater, due to damaged gates in the Nghi Quang sluice gate, penetrates deep into the fields, with salinity levels reaching parts per thousand. The cause of this water shortage is climate change; Nghi Loc is located in a region where freshwater meets saltwater, and many reservoirs, dams, canals, and pumping stations are either temporary structures or have deteriorated, reducing their irrigation capacity.
Based on feedback and recommendations from voters forwarded by the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to inspect and address the voters' recommendations in Nghi Loc district. In recent years, along with significant investment from district and commune budgets in upgrading the irrigation system, the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee has also prioritized allocating resources to upgrade and reinforce more than 14 km of first and second-level canals; investing in the reinforcement of Khe Xiem dam, Tho Son pumping station, Cho Cau pumping station, etc.; and maintaining, repairing, and servicing 6 out of 9 sluice gates at Nghi Quang sluice gate to ensure better "freshwater retention and salinity control" at this project. In addition, several important irrigation projects in Nghi Loc district have been approved, allocated funds, and are currently undergoing procedures for investment preparation for upgrading from central and provincial budgets. These include the N2 Son Thanh - Nghi Van canal with a total investment of over 80 billion VND; Irrigation canals in 8 key rice-growing communes have a total investment of 33 billion VND; irrigation canals in Nghi Kieu commune cost over 10 billion VND; irrigation canals in Nghi Thai commune cost nearly 15 billion VND; irrigation canals in Nghi Cong Nam commune cost nearly 15 billion VND…
Ms. Le Thi Hien, Vice Chairwoman of the Nghi Loc District People's Council, stated: "Through the opinions and recommendations of voters within the province's jurisdiction, the Provincial People's Committee and provincial departments and agencies have focused on addressing these issues in recent years. Along with the irrigation system, which the province has prioritized in allocating resources for investment and upgrading to better meet irrigation needs and improve agricultural production efficiency, some pressing voter concerns related to rural electricity infrastructure; the backlog of land use right certificates; some obstacles and delays in land clearance; and policies supporting agricultural and rural development... have also been addressed by the province. This has contributed to reducing public dissatisfaction; strengthening voters' trust in elected bodies and representatives at all levels; and improving the leadership, direction, and management capacity of state management agencies."
Following the summary report of voter petitions from the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee directed the Office of the Provincial People's Committee to classify, advise on the assignment and direction of provincial departments and agencies, and People's Committees at all levels to resolve and respond to voters' petitions, and to summarize the results of resolving and responding to voter petitions to report to the Provincial People's Council and the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council as prescribed. During the resolution process, the units paid attention to checking and verifying the content of voter feedback, and engaging in dialogue with petitioners to resolve voter petitions, such as: the Department of Natural Resources and Environment organized surveys and inspections to gather factual information on voter opinions and feedback regarding environmental pollution; the Department of Industry and Trade conducted on-site inspections regarding feedback on mining activities affecting people; Nghe An Power Company inspected and sought solutions to address issues related to the power grid infrastructure; and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development inspected dikes and embankments at risk of landslides. The Department of Transportation inspected transportation infrastructure that voters had reported as dilapidated and in need of maintenance and repair. The Vinh City People's Committee organized numerous dialogues with residents during the process of resolving issues related to old residential areas. Simultaneously, various departments and localities coordinated relatively closely to resolve the issues, based on their respective functions and responsibilities, areas of management, and the directives of the Provincial People's Committee. To improve the quality of addressing voter requests, some localities, such as Vinh City, even issued a Plan on enhancing responsibility, quality, and effectiveness in resolving and responding to voter requests.
According to a summary from the Office of the National Assembly Delegation and the Provincial People's Council, from the beginning of the 2021-2026 term to the present, the Nghe An Provincial People's Council has received, compiled, classified, and forwarded 702 opinions and recommendations from voters and 205 letters from citizens to the competent authorities for resolution and response. The rate of opinions and recommendations from voters that have been studied and responded to by the Provincial People's Committee and relevant departments and agencies in each voter consultation session has reached 100%, with the rate of completed resolution in recent sessions being 81% - 84%.
Based on the assignment document from the Provincial People's Committee, relevant units and localities have sent written responses to voters' petitions to the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council, the Office of the Provincial People's Committee, and the People's Committees of districts where the petitioners reside, to inform the voters directly at their addresses; at the same time, they have posted the written responses to voters' petitions on the unit's electronic information portal and sent them to Nghe An Newspaper and the Provincial Radio and Television Station to widely disseminate the content of the responses.
These are new approaches demonstrating the efforts of the Nghe An provincial government in addressing voters' requests; through this, voters clearly feel the responsibility and dedication of their representatives and elected bodies, adhering to the principle of "promises must be kept," rather than simply acknowledging and accepting the requests and then leaving them unfulfilled.
It is evident that, from listening to constituents to taking decisive action in parliament, elected representatives not only bridge the gap between the people's will and policies and laws but also affirm the central role of voters in all important decisions. Efforts such as improving educational conditions, ensuring social security, combating crime, and resolving legal inadequacies all demonstrate the responsibility and strong commitment of representatives to their constituents. Only when the people clearly feel the positive changes resulting from the promises made will their trust and support become the driving force for representatives to continue their contributions. This is also the core value of a genuine democracy: every decision must stem from the will of the people and be for the benefit of the people.
At the 38th session, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly gave its opinion on the report on the results of monitoring the resolution and response to voters' petitions submitted to the 7th session of the 15th National Assembly. Head of the People's Petition Committee, Duong Thanh Binh, emphasized: "The Government and central ministries and agencies have made many efforts to focus on resolving and responding to voters' petitions, demonstrating seriousness, openness, and responsibility. Many petitions have been answered ahead of schedule, the number of voters' petitions accepted and resolved between sessions has increased compared to the previous session, and the quality of responses to petitions is constantly improving..."
